Hello everyone,
Well, it is the first week of my first summer break from seminary. Finals actually went pretty smoothly. I was honestly a little surprised at how well I felt that they went. I guess that we’ll see if my assessment is accurate when grades come. I don’t even know if I’ll get my grades before I go back. The past two quarters the grades were delivered to my campus mailbox but I do hope that they mail them so that I’ll see them this summer.
I managed to get everything moved over to my new room and get on the road as scheduled. I made it up to La Crosse a couple of hours before the wedding rehearsal so I stopped in at the store that I worked at while in high school to say hi to anyone that still worked there that I know. I found out that one of my friends there died of cancer a month or two ago… that was quite sad, she was a great lady.
The wedding rehearsal was very fun. The groom is one of my best friends from school. He and I used to shovel driveways together and do a lot of hanging out together. I do think that he is quite possibly the hardest working man that I know, and he really enjoys it. The wedding on Saturday was very nice too. The reception afterwards fit the couple greatly. It was held in the machine shed of one of the members of the groom’s family. They have a big area where we were able to set tables for supper and then a smaller area with a concrete floor where the DJ set up and the dance was held. It was cool to catch up with so many people from high school and to celebrate this special day with my friends.
On Sunday I went to an early Mass before going to the Lutheran church that the wedding had been at with the new couple and the groom’s family. I am very happy that they are making faith a strong part of their lives. After the Lutheran service I found out that one of my dad and his wife’s brother-in-laws had died. He lived in La Crosse so my dad and step-mom headed out here from where they live in Montana. I was able to see them today. And will see them a couple of more times before they head back.
Yesterday I had a meeting with the chairman of the Catholic committee on scouting, the vocation director, and the camp director for the Boy Scout camp that I will work at this summer. I am pretty excited about this. I will lead a chapel service every day that the scouts are there and arrange for a priest to come in for Mass once a week. I have some training for this starting this Saturday through next Tuesday.
Yesterday I also was able to spend some time with a good friend who is about to enter the novitiate for the religious community that she has been a postulant in for almost a year. She is both excited and nervous about this. It was great to spend time with her and her family. I really enjoy their company.
I think that this is about what has happened for the last week. So have a good one.
Peace,
Adam
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Finals Week Spring quarter 2010-2011
Hello again,
First a note that I hope to keep updating this blog during the summer, but I’m not sure what sort of internet access I will have during this time. I may type up posts and then have to upload a few at a time, sorry, we’ll have to see how it goes. This summer I am going to be a chaplain at a Boy Scout camp in Holmen, WI. This is the camp that I went to most of the time when I was a scout growing up, so I am very excited about it. I don’t really know what all my duties will be; I’ll have to write more about that as I find out more.
This is finals week. It is hard to believe that in less than a week I will be done with my first year of seminary studies. Wow, has this time gone fast. When I try to think back on all that I have done this school year I am amazed that it has been fit into such a short period of time. I feel that I have grown in many ways. This includes the academic, the practical, and the spiritual. I think that I had a pretty good spiritual life coming into here, but I have grown in my appreciation for the formal liturgical celebrations of the Church. I think that practically I’ve grown in quite a few ways.
Academically I have so much greater of an understanding of a wide variety of topics. As I have said before, these first two years are focused on philosophical studies, and I have seen the development of where human thought developed (western thought mainly) to the point that we were able to better understand religion and divine revelation. I am sure that I will continue in this next year. I have also had a pretty good overview of churchy type of topics, such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and introductions to both the Old and the New Testament studies. I have even struggled through a year of Latin studies… I have done my best and have only the final to go in it. I am not very proficient, but I believe that the goal of exposure to Latin has been met.
My finals schedule isn’t really that overloaded. I am supposed to have two tests Thursday and two on Friday but I was able to move one from Friday to tomorrow (Wednesday). I did this because I have to get on the road since one of my best friends is getting married on Saturday. I am the best man in the wedding so I really should try to be there for the rehearsal. I am pretty excited about this wedding. Although I have been in the wedding party at many weddings, this is my first time as the best man.
One thing that is making this week even busier is that I am moving rooms. I can’t remember if I wrote about this or not. To help a guy get used to seminary they have those of us who are new to the seminary process live on two hallways (cams) together. After this year we move to a place where we will be for the next five years. I have been packing up all of my stuff little by little and moving it over. Thankfully the room that I have been assigned for next year is unoccupied already so I don’t have to wait for a guy to move out before I can move in. I am not able to set up the room as I will have it because there is a project this summer to install fire sprinklers in all of the rooms to bring them up to the code that will be implemented in Illinois in 2012. So I have been just piling stuff in an area out of the way, not setting it up as I’d like to, but that is the way it goes.
The last week and a half has been kind of interesting around here. Since the class of 2011 has graduated it is interesting to see which guys have already taken off to get ready for their ministry and which are spending time here, either working on further degrees or just using this time for preparation. Some have known where they will be assigned for a while now, others are only finding out a day or two before their Ordination. Please keep them all in your prayers as they work to fulfill God’s call in their lives.
Peace,
Adam
First a note that I hope to keep updating this blog during the summer, but I’m not sure what sort of internet access I will have during this time. I may type up posts and then have to upload a few at a time, sorry, we’ll have to see how it goes. This summer I am going to be a chaplain at a Boy Scout camp in Holmen, WI. This is the camp that I went to most of the time when I was a scout growing up, so I am very excited about it. I don’t really know what all my duties will be; I’ll have to write more about that as I find out more.
This is finals week. It is hard to believe that in less than a week I will be done with my first year of seminary studies. Wow, has this time gone fast. When I try to think back on all that I have done this school year I am amazed that it has been fit into such a short period of time. I feel that I have grown in many ways. This includes the academic, the practical, and the spiritual. I think that I had a pretty good spiritual life coming into here, but I have grown in my appreciation for the formal liturgical celebrations of the Church. I think that practically I’ve grown in quite a few ways.
Academically I have so much greater of an understanding of a wide variety of topics. As I have said before, these first two years are focused on philosophical studies, and I have seen the development of where human thought developed (western thought mainly) to the point that we were able to better understand religion and divine revelation. I am sure that I will continue in this next year. I have also had a pretty good overview of churchy type of topics, such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and introductions to both the Old and the New Testament studies. I have even struggled through a year of Latin studies… I have done my best and have only the final to go in it. I am not very proficient, but I believe that the goal of exposure to Latin has been met.
My finals schedule isn’t really that overloaded. I am supposed to have two tests Thursday and two on Friday but I was able to move one from Friday to tomorrow (Wednesday). I did this because I have to get on the road since one of my best friends is getting married on Saturday. I am the best man in the wedding so I really should try to be there for the rehearsal. I am pretty excited about this wedding. Although I have been in the wedding party at many weddings, this is my first time as the best man.
One thing that is making this week even busier is that I am moving rooms. I can’t remember if I wrote about this or not. To help a guy get used to seminary they have those of us who are new to the seminary process live on two hallways (cams) together. After this year we move to a place where we will be for the next five years. I have been packing up all of my stuff little by little and moving it over. Thankfully the room that I have been assigned for next year is unoccupied already so I don’t have to wait for a guy to move out before I can move in. I am not able to set up the room as I will have it because there is a project this summer to install fire sprinklers in all of the rooms to bring them up to the code that will be implemented in Illinois in 2012. So I have been just piling stuff in an area out of the way, not setting it up as I’d like to, but that is the way it goes.
The last week and a half has been kind of interesting around here. Since the class of 2011 has graduated it is interesting to see which guys have already taken off to get ready for their ministry and which are spending time here, either working on further degrees or just using this time for preparation. Some have known where they will be assigned for a while now, others are only finding out a day or two before their Ordination. Please keep them all in your prayers as they work to fulfill God’s call in their lives.
Peace,
Adam
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Reflection for the third Wednesday of Easter Year 1
Here is the reflection that I gave at the nursing home last Wednesday. One note on these is that while I write them out, I tend to add or take stuff out depending on how it goes, and it is tough to go back and put it just like that... but this is close.
As I normally do, the readings for the day are attached below.
Peace,
Adam
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As Christians our first priority should be to do God’s will. This is what Christ did, as he said, “I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” Our will should be God’s will.
In the first reading we heard of a tough time for the early Church. Stephen had just died, Saul was trying to destroy the Church. Believers who hadn’t been killed were either scattering or hiding.
These believers were doing God’s will too. The ones who were scattered throughout the known world were doing God’s will through preaching the Gospel to those that they encountered there. The believers who were in hiding were doing God’s will by not denying Him and by strengthening their own faith. It is said elsewhere in the Bible that God wills all to be saved… so by strengthening their own faith that is indeed doing God’s will.
How can you do God’s will? You probably aren’t going to be asked to die for your faith. You probably won’t be sent to the corners of the world to preach God’s Word. But there are plenty of little things that we can do. We can comfort the sick or sorrowful. We can rejoice with those who are rejoicing. We can open a door for someone, or just spend time with them.
These are the little things, but they are also God’s will. I forget who said it, but there was a Saint who said, “We sanctify the things that we should be doing when we do them for God’s will.” It is an attitude with which you do things.
One more thing that we can do for God’s will is what we will be doing in a few minutes. Receiving the Eucharist. Christ said that when you see Him you see the Father. He said that He is the bread of life. He also said to Do this in memory of Me. Christ is God, His will is God’s will. So when we receive communion here, or at Mass, or any time do it because it is what God wills.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 8:1b-8
There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jn 6:35-40
Gospel
Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
As I normally do, the readings for the day are attached below.
Peace,
Adam
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As Christians our first priority should be to do God’s will. This is what Christ did, as he said, “I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” Our will should be God’s will.
In the first reading we heard of a tough time for the early Church. Stephen had just died, Saul was trying to destroy the Church. Believers who hadn’t been killed were either scattering or hiding.
These believers were doing God’s will too. The ones who were scattered throughout the known world were doing God’s will through preaching the Gospel to those that they encountered there. The believers who were in hiding were doing God’s will by not denying Him and by strengthening their own faith. It is said elsewhere in the Bible that God wills all to be saved… so by strengthening their own faith that is indeed doing God’s will.
How can you do God’s will? You probably aren’t going to be asked to die for your faith. You probably won’t be sent to the corners of the world to preach God’s Word. But there are plenty of little things that we can do. We can comfort the sick or sorrowful. We can rejoice with those who are rejoicing. We can open a door for someone, or just spend time with them.
These are the little things, but they are also God’s will. I forget who said it, but there was a Saint who said, “We sanctify the things that we should be doing when we do them for God’s will.” It is an attitude with which you do things.
One more thing that we can do for God’s will is what we will be doing in a few minutes. Receiving the Eucharist. Christ said that when you see Him you see the Father. He said that He is the bread of life. He also said to Do this in memory of Me. Christ is God, His will is God’s will. So when we receive communion here, or at Mass, or any time do it because it is what God wills.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 8:1b-8
There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jn 6:35-40
Gospel
Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Racing to the end of the first year
Hello again,
I am sorry that I didn’t get up a post later in the week last week about what had been going on at the seminary since Holy Week. I was just overloaded with meetings and such. I will post this tonight and since I also have to write a reflection for the nursing home for tomorrow I will post that in a couple of days.
So Austin and I made it back to the seminary in the early evening of Easter Sunday. Monday was the day that people had to return so it was nice to kind of have the area quiet for getting things done. I was looking forward to seeing my friends, but it was nice none the less.
Class and the hectic schedule started again with a vengeance on that Tuesday. It was the start of a three week mad dash to the finish of the quarter. The weather was also starting to turn really nice which made me want to be outside. It is days like that when I really get to missing my forestry job since those were the days to enjoy walking in the woods. So I have made a lot of walks on the road around the lake that is on campus. The road can be either a 3 mile or a 2.5 mile loop depending on what exact route you take. I really enjoy that.
Class has been pretty standard, quizzes, lectures, and homework. We do a lot of reading for each class and it overwhelms some people, but it is manageable. I manage it by figuring out what needs reading, what can be skimmed, and what can be ignored. I think that I have this down pretty well. Probably my biggest study issue is the Latin class. In this I am so confused that I feel like I am spinning my wheels when I study. One nice thing about the lady that is teaching Latin this quarter is that for the quizzes we have had she allowed us to retake two of them with her taking the best grade from each quiz. So I did that today and it really felt like I think that Latin is finally starting to sink in. I guess that is good since I only have two classes plus the final left.
This is the time of the year that people are starting to ask if I am coming back to seminary next year. I say that I am unless God speaks clearly to me before then. It is up to Him. During the winter quarter I had a week or two period where I was really starting to question it, but that passed without me ever thinking that I was for sure going to leave seminary. Last week one day I had one day in which I really thought I was going to leave. There was nothing in particular; it was just that on that day I really started to think of how I was going to leave. I think that this is probably normal, Satan works through causing doubts. I was over it by the end of the day and even more convinced that I am staying. This is a part of the discernment and I imagine that times like this will come and go. Before starting seminary I set in my mind that I would take it a year at a time. I committed to this year. When I start in the fall next year I will be committing to that year. I am thinking that this will help me to evaluate if I am truly discerning out of seminary or just having a bad day or two.
This past weekend was the seminary graduation. Some of you may think that I typed wrong and should have written Ordination, but this is a University at which guys are issued degrees. The graduation is separate from the Ordination. An Ordination takes place with the Bishop of a guys home diocese but this was just like a commencement at any other university (although smaller no doubt) except that there was of course a Mass of celebration before hand.
There is a group of guys in my class who have been working out together. As you know from my previous posts I had thyroid cancer a couple of years ago and gained significant weight during that time. I had lost 10 pounds from my peak before starting seminary and as of this morning I have lost 40 since starting seminary. I peaked at 307 pounds and started seminary at 297, today I weighed in at 257, I am sorry to brag about something like this but it is something which I am proud of. I have about another 70-75 to go before getting to my goal, but I am very happy to be going in the right direction.
That is enough for now. I hope you all have a great week.
Peace,
Adam
I am sorry that I didn’t get up a post later in the week last week about what had been going on at the seminary since Holy Week. I was just overloaded with meetings and such. I will post this tonight and since I also have to write a reflection for the nursing home for tomorrow I will post that in a couple of days.
So Austin and I made it back to the seminary in the early evening of Easter Sunday. Monday was the day that people had to return so it was nice to kind of have the area quiet for getting things done. I was looking forward to seeing my friends, but it was nice none the less.
Class and the hectic schedule started again with a vengeance on that Tuesday. It was the start of a three week mad dash to the finish of the quarter. The weather was also starting to turn really nice which made me want to be outside. It is days like that when I really get to missing my forestry job since those were the days to enjoy walking in the woods. So I have made a lot of walks on the road around the lake that is on campus. The road can be either a 3 mile or a 2.5 mile loop depending on what exact route you take. I really enjoy that.
Class has been pretty standard, quizzes, lectures, and homework. We do a lot of reading for each class and it overwhelms some people, but it is manageable. I manage it by figuring out what needs reading, what can be skimmed, and what can be ignored. I think that I have this down pretty well. Probably my biggest study issue is the Latin class. In this I am so confused that I feel like I am spinning my wheels when I study. One nice thing about the lady that is teaching Latin this quarter is that for the quizzes we have had she allowed us to retake two of them with her taking the best grade from each quiz. So I did that today and it really felt like I think that Latin is finally starting to sink in. I guess that is good since I only have two classes plus the final left.
This is the time of the year that people are starting to ask if I am coming back to seminary next year. I say that I am unless God speaks clearly to me before then. It is up to Him. During the winter quarter I had a week or two period where I was really starting to question it, but that passed without me ever thinking that I was for sure going to leave seminary. Last week one day I had one day in which I really thought I was going to leave. There was nothing in particular; it was just that on that day I really started to think of how I was going to leave. I think that this is probably normal, Satan works through causing doubts. I was over it by the end of the day and even more convinced that I am staying. This is a part of the discernment and I imagine that times like this will come and go. Before starting seminary I set in my mind that I would take it a year at a time. I committed to this year. When I start in the fall next year I will be committing to that year. I am thinking that this will help me to evaluate if I am truly discerning out of seminary or just having a bad day or two.
This past weekend was the seminary graduation. Some of you may think that I typed wrong and should have written Ordination, but this is a University at which guys are issued degrees. The graduation is separate from the Ordination. An Ordination takes place with the Bishop of a guys home diocese but this was just like a commencement at any other university (although smaller no doubt) except that there was of course a Mass of celebration before hand.
There is a group of guys in my class who have been working out together. As you know from my previous posts I had thyroid cancer a couple of years ago and gained significant weight during that time. I had lost 10 pounds from my peak before starting seminary and as of this morning I have lost 40 since starting seminary. I peaked at 307 pounds and started seminary at 297, today I weighed in at 257, I am sorry to brag about something like this but it is something which I am proud of. I have about another 70-75 to go before getting to my goal, but I am very happy to be going in the right direction.
That is enough for now. I hope you all have a great week.
Peace,
Adam
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Holy Week 2011
So, it is Tuesday night again so I'm going to try to write a blog post. I know I don't get to one every Tuesday, but I try.
I think that the last time that I wrote about what was actually going on was before Holy Week. Wow, that seems like so long ago, even though it was only three weeks ago.
First of all, an update on Matt, the seminarian who had the heart attack. Matt is doing wonderfully. They put in an internal difibulator on the Friday before Holy Week and he was able to get out of the hospital on Saturday. He was released from the rehabilitation center on Holy Thursday morning and was back in his hometown for Triduum. He came back to the seminary when we all did and is taking it easy working back into a full schedule. Prayers have been answered, but more are of course needed to complete his recovery.
Back to what I have been up to...
On the Friday before Holy Week I headed up to Stevens Point to be there for the whole time. I was able to invite one of my classmates (Austin) to go along with me. He is from the Atlanta Archdiocese so didn't want to spend the money to go all the way home for just a week. He seemed very glad that I invited him so that he could get away from the seminary for a while. I was happy that I would be able to show off my parish.
The drive to Stevens Point was pretty uneventful, but longer than normal, once because of me missing a turn and once because construction had the exit I wanted closed, but we made it. We went to dinner with Fr. Tom so that those two could meet. Austin and I then went to the house that we were staying at. We stayed at the house of an elderly couple of parishioners who welcome anyone into their home and their lives. They have a large house because of when their kids were home so they want to see it used as much as it can be. I have stayed there a couple of times, including Holy Week when I was a freshman in college because it was spring break and the dorms were closed but I was helping out at the parish. This couple gave us a key and even the garage door opener so that I could park in there and we could come and go as we pleased. They had breakfast with us and a couple of other meals during the week. I always think that their welcoming is how people should be, I know a few others that are like that, but not a lot. It really lives up to what St. Benedict said about seeing Christ in anyone at your door.
The Palm Sunday stuff was pretty uneventful. I helped out as a Eucharistic Minister (distributing communion) and Austin sang with the choir.
On Sunday night Fr. Tom left for a one day retreat to get ready for Triduum and Austin and I went to visit some of my friends. This is the couple that I have stayed with on many occassions that has two wonderful kids. I think that we were there talking until after midnight, it was great to catch up with them and Austin seemed to enjoy it too. Monday was pretty slow, we gathered some items for decorations and went to the gym. Austin and I each bought a one week pass to a gym in Stevens Point so that we could keep working out.
Tuesday Fr. Tom, Austin, and I drove to La Crosse for the Chrism Mass. This is the Mass every year where priests restate their commitment and the liturgical oils are blessed by the Bishop. It was a nice Mass, but the weather was getting pretty bad. I drove us back to Stevens Point and probably only averaged 45 mph the whole way, much slower near the end. I saw 5 vehicles in the ditch in the last twenty miles, so it was indeed slippery out.
Wednesday was fairly uneventful. We probably studied some and spent time with people in Stevens Point, I think we also had a walk through for the parts of Holy Thursday that were outside of the normal. Holy Thursday things really got going. We had a beautiful Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:30 with a footwashing portion and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament afterwards.
Good Friday is always special. Our main service was at 1:00 and included the beautiful veneration of the Cross and the reading of the Passion story. I don't like to say that I enjoy the Good Friday service, but it means a lot to me. Good Friday is a day of fasting in the Catholic Church, but the definition of fasting does allow for one meal to maintain strength. A Newman Parish tradition is to get the students helping out together at the house of a parish couple and have a simple meat free meal that has been prepared by one of the students. This is always an enjoyable experience for me because it is the students who are active in the parish during Triduum who are there. I was also thrilled that Fr. Tom had invited an alumni couple to help in the meal prep. They both had been students when I was there.
Holy Saturday started out with decorating the church. The arts and environment comittee at the parish always does an amazing job with this, and I am happy to have been a part of that for many years. There was then a large portion of the day that was free for prayer and preparation.
The Easter Vigil started at 8:00 PM. This tradition dates back to the Jewish tradition of the day starting with the sunset the night before. The Easter Vigil starts with a fire (outside) that is blessed and the Easter Candle is lit from this. There is then a procession into the chapel where each person has a candle that is lit from the Easter candle. This candle is to symbolize the Baptismal candle which represents Christ being the light for our way. The Easter Vigil contains many readings and much joyful singing. I got to read the reading from Romans this year, as I did last year. After the Gospel reading and Homily is the time when new people are welcomed into the Church. We did not have any adult Baptisms this year but there were two adults who had been Baptized in other Christian traditions who joined the Church through the reception of their First Communion and the sacrament of Confirmation. There were three others who had not recieved the sacrament of Confirmation that recieved it at the Easter Vigil.
After the Vigil Mass Newman has a tradition of a large banquet dinner (started at about 11:00PM) for celebration with all those who helped at the Triduum and all those who were welcomed into the Church and their families. This is a joyful time that I look forward to every year.
On Easter Sunday I was the server at the Mass and it was standing room only. It is always great to see that many people at church. There are some people who are bothered by this because these people only come to church on Christmas and Easter. I do wish that they would be at church every weekend, but I am happy to see that they realize the importance of it at least at those times.
After the Easter Sunday Mass there was a small lunch for a few people at Fr. Tom's house and then Austin and I headed back to Mundelein. We came back so soon so that we were able to get a few things done before the last four weeks of the quarter started on Tuesday.
I think that this is long enough for now. I will write about the time since coming back to Mundelein soon. Maybe even a non-Tuesday post.
Peace,
Adam
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Reflection for Wednesday April 27 2011
Hello everyone,
Here is the reflection that I will be giving at the nursing home tomorrow. As normal I have attached the readings for tomorrow after the reflection so that you can see what I am talking about if you wish.
I know that I haven't put up a post in two weeks. Sorry, but I was very busy last week with Holy Week stuff. I will try to write about that soon.
Peace,
Adam
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although these readings are obviously great stories of joy I always find them a bit of a downer during this Octave of Easter. While they both have great results they also both contain some quite disturbing and sad pieces. The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles has a man who has suffered his whole life with a crippling disease. For this whole time he has had to be carried by his friends, probably not a joyful task for them, so that he could beg for the meager gifts from those going to pray.
Jesus, rather than simply talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus about the glory of God and the meaning behind the resurrection points first to the suffering that He had to endure.
There is an old saying that we wouldn’t enjoy the beautiful weather if not for the cold, the snow, and the rain. But the good days don’t come about because of the bad, they are good in themselves.
The crowds in the first reason weren’t amazed just because of seeing a crippled man; this is an all too common occurrence in our world. They were amazed to see him walking.
In the case of Jesus, we don’t gain our salvation through His suffering; we are given this wonderful gift because of His resurrection.
This is true, but He did have to suffer, because we have earned this suffering through our sins and He wanted to pay this price for us.
The glory of Easter is in the rising, but it follows closely from the suffering. We can do this too. There is a theological understanding that we are able to offer our pains and sufferings for others. When we are in pain, yes, we want to get rid of it. However, while it is there you can ask God to show you the Grace to suffer with dignity. You can ask Him to use the Grace from suffering with dignity to open the hearts of others to His love.
Our suffering isn’t the cause of this joy; we can do this same thing through our prayers. Our suffering isn’t the cause, but it can be turned into a good, just as the resurrection of Jesus or the crippled man’s ability to walk.
We are still in Easter time, let us celebrate that, and if we are suffering we can offer it for the salvation of all the souls.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 3:1-10
Peter and John were going up to the temple area
for the three o’clock hour of prayer.
And a man crippled from birth was carried
and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day
to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked for alms.
But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,
and said, “Look at us.”
He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.
Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold,
but what I do have I give you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”
Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,
and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.
He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.
When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
they recognized him as the one
who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,
and they were filled with amazement and astonishment
at what had happened to him.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Lk 24:13-35
Gospel
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his Body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the Eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Here is the reflection that I will be giving at the nursing home tomorrow. As normal I have attached the readings for tomorrow after the reflection so that you can see what I am talking about if you wish.
I know that I haven't put up a post in two weeks. Sorry, but I was very busy last week with Holy Week stuff. I will try to write about that soon.
Peace,
Adam
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although these readings are obviously great stories of joy I always find them a bit of a downer during this Octave of Easter. While they both have great results they also both contain some quite disturbing and sad pieces. The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles has a man who has suffered his whole life with a crippling disease. For this whole time he has had to be carried by his friends, probably not a joyful task for them, so that he could beg for the meager gifts from those going to pray.
Jesus, rather than simply talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus about the glory of God and the meaning behind the resurrection points first to the suffering that He had to endure.
There is an old saying that we wouldn’t enjoy the beautiful weather if not for the cold, the snow, and the rain. But the good days don’t come about because of the bad, they are good in themselves.
The crowds in the first reason weren’t amazed just because of seeing a crippled man; this is an all too common occurrence in our world. They were amazed to see him walking.
In the case of Jesus, we don’t gain our salvation through His suffering; we are given this wonderful gift because of His resurrection.
This is true, but He did have to suffer, because we have earned this suffering through our sins and He wanted to pay this price for us.
The glory of Easter is in the rising, but it follows closely from the suffering. We can do this too. There is a theological understanding that we are able to offer our pains and sufferings for others. When we are in pain, yes, we want to get rid of it. However, while it is there you can ask God to show you the Grace to suffer with dignity. You can ask Him to use the Grace from suffering with dignity to open the hearts of others to His love.
Our suffering isn’t the cause of this joy; we can do this same thing through our prayers. Our suffering isn’t the cause, but it can be turned into a good, just as the resurrection of Jesus or the crippled man’s ability to walk.
We are still in Easter time, let us celebrate that, and if we are suffering we can offer it for the salvation of all the souls.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 3:1-10
Peter and John were going up to the temple area
for the three o’clock hour of prayer.
And a man crippled from birth was carried
and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day
to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked for alms.
But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,
and said, “Look at us.”
He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.
Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold,
but what I do have I give you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”
Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,
and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.
He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.
When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
they recognized him as the one
who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,
and they were filled with amazement and astonishment
at what had happened to him.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Lk 24:13-35
Gospel
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his Body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the Eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Praying for Matt
Wow, what a week.
Last week started out as normal as can be. I was writing papers and preparing for and taking midterm exams.
On Thursday that all changed. When I got done at the library a little before 4:30 I was looking forward to a night of cramming for my medieval philosophy exam when I got a phone call. I answered it and was surprised that the first words out of the guys mouth were, “Adam, have you heard the news?” Needless to say, that got my attention. When my friend on the phone told me that another of my close friends had been working out and had a heart attack I think I swore at him that you shouldn’t kid about something like that… sadly he wasn’t.
Matt, one of my Diocesan Brothers (what we call others from the same diocese) had been working out on the exercise bike when he just fell over with no pulse and no breathing. He doesn’t work out real, hard, he even reads while working out so it seemed particularly odd. Thank God that there were others down in the workout room while he was there, we have all been talking about how often we are alone down there, depending on our schedules.
One guy immediately started CPR while another ran to get help, from the school nurse and calling 911. As Grace would have it the one going to get help ran into a seminarian who had been a doctor before starting here, and he grabbed the AED off the wall and went down. The doctor had just happened to get out of class early at that time. Matt had to be shocked twice with the seminaries AED and once with the paramedic’s AED here and then twice again at the hospital. The paramedics were here very quickly since the fire station is close by.
In addition to immediately starting CPR and sending the doctor down a priest was sent down to perform Anointing of the Sick, one of the sacraments of the Church. This sacrament is often called “Last Rites” but that is a secular misnomer. Anointing of the Sick is for healing as well as a blessing at the time of death, whichever way God wills it. It is simply a sacrament of God’s Grace. This would have been a part of a total of last rites given at the bedside of a dying person, along with a final sacrament of Reconciliation and a final reception of the Eucharist. That is why society misunderstands this sacrament.
Prayers for Matt started immediately, a group of seminarians were praying the rosary in the hallway as the paramedics were working on Matt. All of us took a break from whatever we were doing to say a prayer for him. We were all calling people, e-mailing people, and posting to our Facebook pages asking for prayers for Matt. Through connections that I’m not sure that I follow how they all happened Matt was an intention in the Mass offered by the Pope on Friday morning. Matt has been in seminary at various levels for a long time, so he has many connections. A Cardinal from the Vatican called the hospital to get an update on Matt, so prayers were very abundant.
I went over to the hospital at about 6:30 Thursday evening and was able to see Matt in his room in the ICU at about 8:40. He had been put into an induced coma so that his body wouldn’t be straining while trying to recover.
I saw him a couple of more times on Friday while trying to also go about a somewhat normal day. Friday evening we had a special holy hour for praying for Matt. The vocation director, Fr. Hirsch, from the La Crosse Diocese came down to lead that. We were told on Friday that at about midnight they would start trying to bring Matt out of the coma.
On Saturday morning I went over to the hospital and while pulling up in my truck I saw Matt’s mom walking in. I asked her how he was doing and immediately knew that it hadn’t gone well. The doctors hadn’t liked what they saw in Matt’s numbers so they put him back into the coma. I didn’t go see him then because I figured it was best for just his family to be with him. The same thing happened once more on Saturday. Sunday morning they were able to bring Matt out of the coma.
When I went over on Sunday I was told that he had been able to flutter open his eyes, but not keep them open. Another La Crosse seminarian and I went into the room and talked to Matt a bit, but he didn’t wake up so we went to just praying silently. After a while he opened his eyes. We talked to him for a minute about how well he was doing before telling him to go back to sleep and rest. A while later one of Matt’s good friends came in and woke Matt up on purpose. He had him try to squeeze his hand, and he could do it!! He could only do it with one hand due to swelling, but it was very exciting. The next thing he asked Matt to try was to wiggle the toes on one food. He could do that, and even follow directions of right and left. I was so overjoyed to see that.
After that it has been a steady rise up for Matt. They pulled out the ventilator tube and the first question out of his mouth was, “Can I still be a priest?” Because he is more alert now, but still weak they are asking for no visitors. Matt is the kind of guy that won’t rest when people are there because he wants to entertain them… so it is good to avoid it and let him rest.
Tonight we had a scheduled address by the formation dean here. Instead of that he brought in the chief nurse from the ICU to talk about Matt (with the family’s permission). She said that his recovery so far has been the best she’s seen in 34 years of nursing and truly gives the prayer credit for that. She was very excited at the way that this all is going. Tonight Matt is scheduled to be moved from ICU to a regular room. They will see where it goes from there if he can go home or has to go to a rehab center.
Matt is by no means fully recovered yet so any prayers are appreciated. But at the greatness of his recovery we can sure see that the prayers so far are being answered.
Peace,
Adam
Last week started out as normal as can be. I was writing papers and preparing for and taking midterm exams.
On Thursday that all changed. When I got done at the library a little before 4:30 I was looking forward to a night of cramming for my medieval philosophy exam when I got a phone call. I answered it and was surprised that the first words out of the guys mouth were, “Adam, have you heard the news?” Needless to say, that got my attention. When my friend on the phone told me that another of my close friends had been working out and had a heart attack I think I swore at him that you shouldn’t kid about something like that… sadly he wasn’t.
Matt, one of my Diocesan Brothers (what we call others from the same diocese) had been working out on the exercise bike when he just fell over with no pulse and no breathing. He doesn’t work out real, hard, he even reads while working out so it seemed particularly odd. Thank God that there were others down in the workout room while he was there, we have all been talking about how often we are alone down there, depending on our schedules.
One guy immediately started CPR while another ran to get help, from the school nurse and calling 911. As Grace would have it the one going to get help ran into a seminarian who had been a doctor before starting here, and he grabbed the AED off the wall and went down. The doctor had just happened to get out of class early at that time. Matt had to be shocked twice with the seminaries AED and once with the paramedic’s AED here and then twice again at the hospital. The paramedics were here very quickly since the fire station is close by.
In addition to immediately starting CPR and sending the doctor down a priest was sent down to perform Anointing of the Sick, one of the sacraments of the Church. This sacrament is often called “Last Rites” but that is a secular misnomer. Anointing of the Sick is for healing as well as a blessing at the time of death, whichever way God wills it. It is simply a sacrament of God’s Grace. This would have been a part of a total of last rites given at the bedside of a dying person, along with a final sacrament of Reconciliation and a final reception of the Eucharist. That is why society misunderstands this sacrament.
Prayers for Matt started immediately, a group of seminarians were praying the rosary in the hallway as the paramedics were working on Matt. All of us took a break from whatever we were doing to say a prayer for him. We were all calling people, e-mailing people, and posting to our Facebook pages asking for prayers for Matt. Through connections that I’m not sure that I follow how they all happened Matt was an intention in the Mass offered by the Pope on Friday morning. Matt has been in seminary at various levels for a long time, so he has many connections. A Cardinal from the Vatican called the hospital to get an update on Matt, so prayers were very abundant.
I went over to the hospital at about 6:30 Thursday evening and was able to see Matt in his room in the ICU at about 8:40. He had been put into an induced coma so that his body wouldn’t be straining while trying to recover.
I saw him a couple of more times on Friday while trying to also go about a somewhat normal day. Friday evening we had a special holy hour for praying for Matt. The vocation director, Fr. Hirsch, from the La Crosse Diocese came down to lead that. We were told on Friday that at about midnight they would start trying to bring Matt out of the coma.
On Saturday morning I went over to the hospital and while pulling up in my truck I saw Matt’s mom walking in. I asked her how he was doing and immediately knew that it hadn’t gone well. The doctors hadn’t liked what they saw in Matt’s numbers so they put him back into the coma. I didn’t go see him then because I figured it was best for just his family to be with him. The same thing happened once more on Saturday. Sunday morning they were able to bring Matt out of the coma.
When I went over on Sunday I was told that he had been able to flutter open his eyes, but not keep them open. Another La Crosse seminarian and I went into the room and talked to Matt a bit, but he didn’t wake up so we went to just praying silently. After a while he opened his eyes. We talked to him for a minute about how well he was doing before telling him to go back to sleep and rest. A while later one of Matt’s good friends came in and woke Matt up on purpose. He had him try to squeeze his hand, and he could do it!! He could only do it with one hand due to swelling, but it was very exciting. The next thing he asked Matt to try was to wiggle the toes on one food. He could do that, and even follow directions of right and left. I was so overjoyed to see that.
After that it has been a steady rise up for Matt. They pulled out the ventilator tube and the first question out of his mouth was, “Can I still be a priest?” Because he is more alert now, but still weak they are asking for no visitors. Matt is the kind of guy that won’t rest when people are there because he wants to entertain them… so it is good to avoid it and let him rest.
Tonight we had a scheduled address by the formation dean here. Instead of that he brought in the chief nurse from the ICU to talk about Matt (with the family’s permission). She said that his recovery so far has been the best she’s seen in 34 years of nursing and truly gives the prayer credit for that. She was very excited at the way that this all is going. Tonight Matt is scheduled to be moved from ICU to a regular room. They will see where it goes from there if he can go home or has to go to a rehab center.
Matt is by no means fully recovered yet so any prayers are appreciated. But at the greatness of his recovery we can sure see that the prayers so far are being answered.
Peace,
Adam
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Class retreat
Hi everyone,
It is midterm week, and I have exams in three of my five classes and another exam next week. So, needless to say my nose is in a book most of my free time.
Last Friday my class went to a convent in Racine, WI for a short retreat. Most of the seminarians here have a cam retreat (remember, a cam is the hallway that people live on). Since the first year Pre-Theology guys like me all live on two cams, and some years one, ours is done as a class retreat. It was a very, very short retreat. From the time that we left until the time that most guys got back was only a bit over 21 hours… and two of those hours were driving, plus sleep time.
The convent that we went to is called the Siena Center, at least on the side that is open for retreats, other than that it is the motherhouse of the Racine Dominican Sisters. It is a very nice set up for a retreat.
We ate supper and prayed evening prayer together at the seminary before heading out. When we got to the convent we took a little bit of time to organize our rooms and then met for a talk by a couple of my classmates. The theme of the retreat was “Who do you say that I am?” which is a quote from Jesus talking to St. Peter. The first talk was on the biblical images of Jesus.
After that we had a bit of free time and then prayed night prayer together. After night prayer I was leading Taize prayer. This is a musical prayer in which a simple verse of prayer is repeatedly sung as a guide towards meditation. Some of the guys had never prayed using Taize prayer, they seemed to like it. Taize is one of my favorite forms of prayer so I was glad that I could lead that.
Some guys went to bed, while some took a walk down to Lake Michigan which the convent’s property touches. A few of us just sat around playing cards and relaxing in each other’s company without school or obligation time immediately hanging over our heads.
In the morning we prayed Morning Prayer and had Mass before going to breakfast. After breakfast was another talk, this one on the priestly image of Jesus. We followed that by a break for relaxation and games. I went and sat by the lake for a bit in prayer before returning to the group room and joining in a game of charades. We all gathered together and prayed a rosary together while going for a walk outdoors. The rosary ended right about the time for lunch. After lunch was one more talk on where we are going in our growth towards trying to be as much like Christ as we are able. The retreat ended with a short closing prayer.
Since I was in Wisconsin already I had decided that I would go and visit one of my good friends for a bit after the retreat. I went over and had some homemade chili and watched a bit of the semi-final game before heading back to the seminary to study.
Sunday I was visited by a good friend. She had been not too far away visiting some family so decided to stop in at the seminary for Mass on her way through. We also went to breakfast at the refectory and I gave her a tour of the campus before she headed home and I went back to my studies.
Aside from prayer time, class time, work at the library, and studies the only other thing that I give quite a bit of time to is working out. We have a nice little weight room on campus and a gym with an indoor pool too. In addition to that the loop around the lake on campus can be either 2.5 or 3 miles depending on if you go the outer loop or not. As I have said I had gained quite a bit of weight with the thyroid cancer a couple of years ago. I am happy to say that I had lost 10 pounds from my peak before coming here and as of this morning I have lost 30 pounds since being here. I had hoped for a bit more, but at least it is going in the right direction.
Well, back to the books.
Peace,
Adam
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Reflection 3rd Wednesday Lent Year 1
Hi everyone,
Here is the reflection that I will be giving tomorrow at the nursing home. As in the past I am including the Scripture readings for the day below it.
Peace,
Adam
-----------------------------------------------
In today’s first reading we heard Moses telling all the people to obey the Law. Then in the Gospel Jesus told us that He didn’t come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.
So the Law is important right? Yes, it is. Sorry, but I am not going to leave it at that point, I am going to go on a bit longer. Is it the Law that is important or what it comes from and the point of it? Both. Jesus wants us to obey the Law in the commandments, not necessarily in the dietary and purity rules, but in the stuff that affects life. However, when thinking about following the Law I was reminded of a quote from the book The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. The quote says:
“There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself… as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist! There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ.”
That is the old issue of missing the forest for the trees. Jesus doesn’t want us to see the Law as simply an end in itself, but as a means to that end. The Law will bring us closer to Him. When we don’t worship false idles it isn’t because we don’t do this that makes God happy, it is the fact that we know that He is the one. When we don’t covet our neighbor’s goods it isn’t because he is that worried about those material things, it is that by coveting our neighbor’s goods we are disrespecting our neighbor, failing to love him or her. We are also disrespecting God when we do this because our neighbor was made in God’s image, just like we were.
So it while it is important to follow the details, the point isn’t in the details, it is in doing what is right for our faith.
-------------------------------------------
Reading 1
Dt 4:1, 5-9
Moses spoke to the people and said:
“Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees
which I am teaching you to observe,
that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees
as the LORD, my God, has commanded me,
that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees
that are as just as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?
“However, take care and be earnestly on your guard
not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,
nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,
but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.”
Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Responsorial Psalm
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
He spreads snow like wool;
frost he strews like ashes.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Mt 5:17-19
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
Here is the reflection that I will be giving tomorrow at the nursing home. As in the past I am including the Scripture readings for the day below it.
Peace,
Adam
-----------------------------------------------
In today’s first reading we heard Moses telling all the people to obey the Law. Then in the Gospel Jesus told us that He didn’t come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.
So the Law is important right? Yes, it is. Sorry, but I am not going to leave it at that point, I am going to go on a bit longer. Is it the Law that is important or what it comes from and the point of it? Both. Jesus wants us to obey the Law in the commandments, not necessarily in the dietary and purity rules, but in the stuff that affects life. However, when thinking about following the Law I was reminded of a quote from the book The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. The quote says:
“There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself… as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist! There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ.”
That is the old issue of missing the forest for the trees. Jesus doesn’t want us to see the Law as simply an end in itself, but as a means to that end. The Law will bring us closer to Him. When we don’t worship false idles it isn’t because we don’t do this that makes God happy, it is the fact that we know that He is the one. When we don’t covet our neighbor’s goods it isn’t because he is that worried about those material things, it is that by coveting our neighbor’s goods we are disrespecting our neighbor, failing to love him or her. We are also disrespecting God when we do this because our neighbor was made in God’s image, just like we were.
So it while it is important to follow the details, the point isn’t in the details, it is in doing what is right for our faith.
-------------------------------------------
Reading 1
Dt 4:1, 5-9
Moses spoke to the people and said:
“Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees
which I am teaching you to observe,
that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees
as the LORD, my God, has commanded me,
that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees
that are as just as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?
“However, take care and be earnestly on your guard
not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,
nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,
but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.”
Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Responsorial Psalm
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
He spreads snow like wool;
frost he strews like ashes.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Mt 5:17-19
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Third week of Spring quarter 2010-2011
Hi again everyone,
So somehow it seems that not much has happened since I wrote last, but at the same time it seems like so much has happened. What has happened is pretty routine for the life here at the seminary.
I guess one thing that happened which doesn’t happen every week, but does go on twice a year here is that Cardinal George, the Archbishop of Chicago came out and gave an hour long talk last Wednesday and then celebrated the Wednesday afternoon Mass.
Cardinal George was talking about mainly was “listening”. He talked about the different ways that a priest is to listen. These ways would include (in no particular order): listening to his staff about what is going on in the parish, listening to his parish council to understand what the parishioners want, listening to his finance council to see what they can afford to do, listening to the local bishop in regards to what he wants done, listening to the larger church in regards to what is taught throughout the world and in tradition, listening to God in the Sacred Scriptures, listening to God in his private prayer time, and among the more important listening to individual parishioners when there is something they want to say.
Classes are very busy, I counted it up last week and I spent well over 50 hours between time directly in class and time studying. This doesn’t include my time at field education, meals, Mass, group prayer, or other meetings. When I say that seminary is like college on steroids I mean it. I do observe that it seems to get better after this year, meaning that the class load gets lighter, but they also seem to possibly have more work per class, so we will have to see.
Over the weekend I did take some time away and went to the driving range with 3 other guys in my class. One of them is a pretty regular golfer so he was giving the other three of us tips the whole time which was great. I didn’t do nearly as well as I had been at the place that I went with my mom over break, but I had fun and will try it again. After the break I had almost thought I could start going out on a course right away… not so much, the driving range it is for a while.
My class of eleven made it through the first two quarters with everyone staying in seminary. One guy decided to leave after the second quarter. He didn’t speak English well so although I could be nice to him and tried to talk to him I didn’t get to know him very well. I do hope that if language difficulties were the reason he decided to leave that he pursues seminary studies back home, because he is a great guy. If he just discerned that the priesthood wasn’t for him than God Bless him for being open to it and figuring out to some extent what God wants.
This past week another from my class announced that he was leaving. He doesn’t know for sure that seminary isn’t right for him, it just isn’t right for him at this time. I know that he didn’t take this decision lightly and I wish him great Blessings in whatever he chooses to do. He has given it a shot and is open to wherever God takes him, so you can’t ask for more than that. This will be more difficult on my class because he is a very outgoing and well liked guy, one that was always able to organize some fun activities and keep the group having a good experience. We all wish him well and told him to stay in touch since he lives not too far from the seminary. He will be gone completely within a day or two. I am kind of surprised that he doesn’t just finish out the quarter, but he wants to try to get on with whatever God is calling him to.
One thing that I have thought of with these two leaving is being thankful for modern technology. I’m not positive but I would imagine that without it a lot of time wouldn’t have to pass before I would lose touch with them. Because of modern technology I can have their contact information even as they move. Even more specifically I have them both as friends on Facebook, so I can see what they put up. Maybe someday I’ll even read Spanish so that I can read what the first is posting.
Well, I guess that a lot did happen. I hope you all are having a good Lent which is drawing you closer to God.
Peace,
Adam
So somehow it seems that not much has happened since I wrote last, but at the same time it seems like so much has happened. What has happened is pretty routine for the life here at the seminary.
I guess one thing that happened which doesn’t happen every week, but does go on twice a year here is that Cardinal George, the Archbishop of Chicago came out and gave an hour long talk last Wednesday and then celebrated the Wednesday afternoon Mass.
Cardinal George was talking about mainly was “listening”. He talked about the different ways that a priest is to listen. These ways would include (in no particular order): listening to his staff about what is going on in the parish, listening to his parish council to understand what the parishioners want, listening to his finance council to see what they can afford to do, listening to the local bishop in regards to what he wants done, listening to the larger church in regards to what is taught throughout the world and in tradition, listening to God in the Sacred Scriptures, listening to God in his private prayer time, and among the more important listening to individual parishioners when there is something they want to say.
Classes are very busy, I counted it up last week and I spent well over 50 hours between time directly in class and time studying. This doesn’t include my time at field education, meals, Mass, group prayer, or other meetings. When I say that seminary is like college on steroids I mean it. I do observe that it seems to get better after this year, meaning that the class load gets lighter, but they also seem to possibly have more work per class, so we will have to see.
Over the weekend I did take some time away and went to the driving range with 3 other guys in my class. One of them is a pretty regular golfer so he was giving the other three of us tips the whole time which was great. I didn’t do nearly as well as I had been at the place that I went with my mom over break, but I had fun and will try it again. After the break I had almost thought I could start going out on a course right away… not so much, the driving range it is for a while.
My class of eleven made it through the first two quarters with everyone staying in seminary. One guy decided to leave after the second quarter. He didn’t speak English well so although I could be nice to him and tried to talk to him I didn’t get to know him very well. I do hope that if language difficulties were the reason he decided to leave that he pursues seminary studies back home, because he is a great guy. If he just discerned that the priesthood wasn’t for him than God Bless him for being open to it and figuring out to some extent what God wants.
This past week another from my class announced that he was leaving. He doesn’t know for sure that seminary isn’t right for him, it just isn’t right for him at this time. I know that he didn’t take this decision lightly and I wish him great Blessings in whatever he chooses to do. He has given it a shot and is open to wherever God takes him, so you can’t ask for more than that. This will be more difficult on my class because he is a very outgoing and well liked guy, one that was always able to organize some fun activities and keep the group having a good experience. We all wish him well and told him to stay in touch since he lives not too far from the seminary. He will be gone completely within a day or two. I am kind of surprised that he doesn’t just finish out the quarter, but he wants to try to get on with whatever God is calling him to.
One thing that I have thought of with these two leaving is being thankful for modern technology. I’m not positive but I would imagine that without it a lot of time wouldn’t have to pass before I would lose touch with them. Because of modern technology I can have their contact information even as they move. Even more specifically I have them both as friends on Facebook, so I can see what they put up. Maybe someday I’ll even read Spanish so that I can read what the first is posting.
Well, I guess that a lot did happen. I hope you all are having a good Lent which is drawing you closer to God.
Peace,
Adam
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